Jagat

Religions are closed systems, which means they are (or should be) rationally constructed on the basis of their own premises. The fundamental premise is generally based on the recognition of a certain order in creation which potentially leads to a higher spiritual purpose. After this very general underlying faith, the premises can be wildly different from one religion to another.

Prabhavishnu Swami , a leading ISKCON sannyasi and guru, 60 years old, was recently caught in flagrante delicto with a woman, apparently a non-devotee, in Bangkok. Another tiresome episode that has ISKCON's critics jumping up and down with indignation, and many disciples crying in pain and disbelief. Where are the pure devotees? they cry. All the gurus are false, they scream. ISKCON is full of fakers and misleaders, they say. Prabhavishnu himself has given a litany of excuses -- overwork, too much travel, etc. But they refuse to put their finger on the obvious. Neither the ISKCON leadership nor their critics in the Prabhupadanuga camp have identified the real flaw, which is the sannyasa institution itself. Sannyasa, like brahmacharya, is something of a cult trick. It is a leftover from the Mayavada influence on India that rejects the world, and therefore sees woman and sexuality as false. An organization like ISKCON demands uncompromising and absolute fidelity to ...

Subal  Das-Steve Bohlert Steve Bohlert , otherwise known as Subal Das Goswami, is a friend and a senior Godbrother, having taking initiation from Lalita Prasad Thakur several years before I did. Since his life trajectory and mine have some interesting parallels, I feel a great affinity and friendship for him. Some time ago he sent me a book that he has written,  Universalist Radha Krishnaism: A Spirituality of Liberty, Truth and Love , published by Sky River Press . My intention was to review the book then, but for whatever reason, I have been amiss in so doing, which is more than just a minor oversight. This book is sufficiently important that its wide dissemination amongst devotees is a desideratum. Indeed, with the book Subal sent an ebullient review written by former ISKCON public relations officer and author, Nori Muster , which shows that it can answer at least some of the doubts and fulfill the desires of erstwhile devotees who are seeking to use their religi...

The first day I listened to one of the speakers, I held my peace, but wanted to say something. Finally I contented myself by giving one of my verse cards to a student here who is an ex-Iskcon devotee from Bombay. As a matter of fact, there are several members of this ashram who have a devotional background, especially a number of Oriya bhaktas who told me they had spent years in Vrindavan studying the Bhagavata. I find it hard to believe that their samskara will be so shallow as to be inaccessible. For the most part, I enthusiastically greet everyone with the words "Radhe Shyam," without for all that being obnoxious about it. The verse I offered was the one that rang through my brain while listening to these talks, bhava-bandha-cchide tasyai spṛhayāmi na muktaye bhavān prabhur ahaṁ dāso jñānam yatra vilupyate I do not aspire for the liberation that frees us from bondage to this world, if therein the awareness that you are my master and I your servant is lost. On...